Throne of Salt
by Peppercloud
Summary: Calaena Sarthodien managed to get out of Endovier, a salt mine better known as a death camp. For two sisters, Ani and Delphine, escaping the camp is but a dream.
1. Chapter 1

Ani rested her pickaxe against her hip as she wiped salty sweat from her forehead. She was in Endovier, death camp but formally known as a salt mine. The salt mines were a labyrinth of winding white tunnels. Thousands of miners – convicts, sent to Endovier to work to death – toiling in the mines, chipping away at the salt. She and her elder sister, Delphine, had been sent here two months ago after being accused of murdering a member of the Wendlyn royal family. Of course, they hadn't done it, but once accused by royalty, there was nothing they could do.

"Hey!" shouted a guard. He raised his coiled whip threateningly. Ani quickly picked up her axe and resumed her work. It was hard, day after day, working in the salt mine. The physical effort wasn't the hardest part. No, it was seeing her friends drop dead like flies after long months in Endovier. That was part of Endovier's design: work criminals until they died, and if they tried to escape? No one had ever managed to escape the mines, and no one tried unless they had a death wish. Most people were killed in three seconds if they made a run for it.

Just then, Delphine walked past. Her skin, like Ani's, was dotted with sweat. The two sisters made eye contact.

"I love you," Ani mouthed. They always repeated those words to each other in case that day was their last.

Delphine mimicked her sister as she turned the corner with her pickaxe in one fist. She was followed by two other prisoners who looked like they were at the end of their time at Endovier; sunken cheekbones and dead eyes were a sign of time running out, of minds and bodies giving way.

Ani cast a wondering glance at the entrance to the tunnel she was in. The chains encircling her felt heavier than ever as she contemplated freedom. It seemed the prisoner next to her was feeling the same as he staring longingly at the entrance and rubbed at the handcuffs on his wrists.

"I want to run, you know," he rasped after noticing Ani, too, was looking towards freedom. "I want to go, to leave, so badly."

Ani remained silent. This one looked like he was on the verge too. The madness in his eyes was fading to blankness, and once his eyes held nothing more than irises, he was done for.

"I want to run," he said again. His fingers twitched along his chains as though he could rip them off and sprint freely. Ani felt a sudden lurch of sympathy. She had only been here two months and already she could relate to this poor man. How long would it be before she ended up like him too?

Ani knew she had to stay strong. She and Delphine would escape one day. They had to.

* * *

Delphine followed the guard in front of her. She and the prisoners with her were heading to a new section of tunnel where there were fresh sources of salt. The guard had a whip in one hand and Delphine's chains in the other. Every so often he would give a tug, making her nearly trip. The coarse metal scraped constantly at her ankles, wrists and neck. The heavy chains made her feel like she was sinking into the ground with every step.

"Come on," he grunted. Another tug. Delphine lurched forward but managed not to fall. The prisoners behind her made no move to help. If they did, they might be whipped – or worse.

They turned around another corner. The tunnel grew dark. Finally, the guard stopped and threw Delphine's chains onto the floor. She switched her axe to her other hand and raised it, preparing herself for the work that lay ahead.

"Get to work!" The guard's gruff voice echoed faintly. The two prisoners behind Delphine scuttled forward and immediately began chipping away. Delphine made to do the same, but the guard caught her hand. He wrapped her chains around his fist and leaned close to her. "No. You're coming with me."

Instantly, Delphine felt a shot of fear. She had heard stories of female prisoners being taken advantage of in Endovier, but she never thought it would happen to her. But worse than being felt up was being dead, so she obeyed.

The guard led her into a side tunnel where the darkness shrouded her.

"No," she whispered, feeling sick. No answer.

"What's your name." He didn't even sound like he cared. Delphine heard him shuffle towards her and swallowed.

"Delphine." Her voice nearly cracked. He leaned into her, his hands stroking her dirty hair. Her hair had thinned out during her time at Endovier, and she could feel strands being pulled out.

"Mmm…" he breathed as his hands moved up and slipped around her jaw. She swallowed again, feeling his fingers traced down her throat to her collarbone. He suddenly gripped her chin in his hands. Delphine squeezed her eyes shut. The darkness helped her imagine she was in a dream, an awful, horrible dream as the guard's face pressed close to hers. She could feel his sour breath and almost wanted to pull away. But she knew that if she did, she'd be whipped, or killed, or worse.

Finally, after an agonizingly long time running his hands over her, he kissed her. His lips forced hers opened and his wet tongue slid into her mouth. She nearly retched after tasting him, but she managed not to move. She was a statue – a cold marble rendition of a woman.

"Good girl," he murmured as he pulled away at last." "I'll tell the boys that Delphine gave Rochester a good time." Delphine's face burned. He leaned in for another kiss, his lips devouring hers. The guard was so eager that he didn't even notice Delphine's lack of response.

Suddenly, she came to a realization. If she could manipulate Rochester and get a guard on her and Ani's side, he could be their ticket out of this place. This vile man could help them. She jerked her head to side and let out a breathy moan.

"Yes," Delphine hissed seductively. "Thank you, Rochester."

His hands roamed across her chest as he spoke. "You liked it?" He prodded at her nipples. She grabbed his wrists but couldn't bring herself to pull them away. She could almost feel the whip striking her back if she did that.

"Of course!" Delphine's purring voice seemed too forced, but he bought it.

"I'll be sure to give you special treatment" – he chuckled - "the next time we're down here. Now let's go." He took her chains again and led her down the tunnel back to the others. Delphine followed slowly, feeling a sense of sickening guilt overtake her as they walked.

One of the prisoners that had accompanied her here gave her a sad, knowing look. Delphine returned the gaze evenly before taking her pickaxe up. She had done what she needed to do to survive. She had done what she needed to do to help her and Ani.


	2. Chapter 2

Verdi waited in the line for lunch – or what they called 'lunch' around here. The meal consisted of salted water, a thin slice of bread, and a sip of wine. His cropped hair was matted with sweat and he was glad that now was his lunchtime. He was getting food along with forty other prisoners. Looking around, he noticed who was in front of him - a young woman. She was very beautiful, despite how dirty and skinny she was. Her brown hair was thinned from starvation. She turned to accept her bread and he caught a glance of her profile: a strong brow, pointed nose, and thin lips. Her eyes were a brightest blue and seemed sane. Verdi took his piece of bread and followed her to get soup.

"Thank you," she said to the man who slopped salty water into her bowl. Verdi took his soup silently.

The lunching room was not a room at all; it was a huge, open clearing near the tunnels. Hundreds of plain wooden tables were packed together. Verdi, holding his food, spotted the woman quickly and followed her to a table where she sat next to a similar-looking younger woman. He paused, watching her gently rub her companion's shoulder. They were surrounded by lonely prisoners who gazed at them enviously, perhaps wishing they had someone who cared for them like that.

"Hello!" Verdi said brightly, sliding in across from them. The younger woman stared at him blankly.

"Hello," the blue-eyed woman said warily. Verdi noticed she and her companion shuffled closer to each other.

"I'm Verdi."

"Ani." Her voice was clipped. She didn't trust him, and with good sense. Endovier was a death camp for a reason. It was where criminals were sent to rot away for their crimes. Her companion, her sister most likely, said nothing. Her face was pale and she barely looked at Verdi. Although Verdi had not been here long, he knew what type of men the guards were.

"You are?" Verdi asked kindly to the woman. He blinked patiently when she gave no sign of hearing him.

Ani cleared her throat. "My sister Delphine – what do you want from us? I won't give you my rations." Her expression was haughty, daring him to pick a fight with her.

Verdi gave her a puzzled look. His forehead wrinkled. "I don't want your rations. I want to talk." He hadn't made any friends so far, and Verdi was a very social sort of person. Even in his thieving days, he had had many friends and acquaintances.

Ani snorted. "How long have you been here?" She could already estimate how much time he had spent at here. After enough time in the tunnels, your skin lost all color and turned fish-belly white for those with light skin. For those with dark skin, they simply turned sickly-looking. He still looked healthy, which suggested he had only arrived recently.

Verdi's dark cheeks reddened but he met her stare. "A week." Ani gave a weak chuckle.

"Verdi, clearly you don't understand the system here. Endovier is a death camp. There's no point making friends when all of your friends are going to die within weeks or months. Since you've only been here a week, I'll accommodate you for now, but unless you learn to keep to yourself and shut up, a guard will kill you, or another prisoner will do it for them."

Verdi was speechless. Ani fixed him with a stern blue-eyed look, and then turned to her food. She shoved a piece of bread in her mouth and chewed pointedly. Delphine, supposedly her sister, sipped her soup slowly, still ignoring Verdi.

Verdi awkwardly lifted his bowl to his lips and then set it down. "Okay – maybe I can shut up and keep to myself with you two." Ani swallowed her bread and cocked her head.

"Are you that desperate?" she asked mockingly. He fought to keep his face neutral as he nodded. "What if we aren't looking for friends?"

"Too bad," Verdi answered easily, stubbornly. He took a sip of his soup, his dark eyes still watching them.

Ani laughed freely. "Fine. Be our friend. We could die today, or tomorrow, or next week. It's your loss, really." Verdi smiled, his white teeth contrastingly with his night-black skin. He was handsome, Ani decided. His cheeks were covered with a layer of dark stubble, and his straight eyebrows framed brooding eyes. Those eyes could see everything when they looked at you, Ani was sure.

They ate in silence, but it was a friendly silence, and for that all three were glad.

* * *

Delphine and Ani huddled together on their shared bed. The bunks were so overpopulated, two people shared a bed. The two sisters were even more glad they had each other so they wouldn't have to share beds with a stranger.

Delphine still felt sick when she thought of Rochester. She wanted Ani to know of her plan, but she didn't want to mention what had happened.

"Ani," Delphine whispered haltingly. Her sister turned her head towards her silently. If the guards heard them, they'd be in trouble. "I have a plan." Quickly Delphine outlined her plan to manipulate a guard into sneaking them out.

"You know there are only three ways out," Ani hissed. "Death, transfer, or innocence."

Delphine shook her head slowly. "That's impossible."

"And being sneaked out by a _guard_ isn't?"

"I'm trying my best, Ani!"

"Shh!" Ani quickly covered her sister's mouth. "We mustn't get caught scheming." Delphine blinked slowly once to show her understanding. "Sorry," Ani murmured as she removed her hand.

"Ani, I've been… talking to a guard." Delphine's voice shook. "I think I can get him to sneak us out if we play our cards right." Ani's blue eyes narrowed in the dark.

She leaned closer to Delphine. "There's something you're not telling me." Her tone was accusing. "You aren't just talking to the guard. Did he…?" Delphine didn't move. Ani's eyes widened and she quickly embraced her sister. "Delphine… I'm so sorry."

Delphine didn't answer. They fell asleep in each other's arms.


	3. Chapter 3

**_TEN DAYS LATER…_**

At lunch, Rochester spotted Delphine, Ani and Verdi eating. He quickly strode up to them and pointed at Delphine. "You. Now."

Delphine threw her bread aside under the guise of eagerness. "Here, sir?" she simpered. Rochester's cheeks colored.

"No," he said under his breath. "I can't be caught with a filthy prisoner." Delphine kept her eyes wide and innocent even though she was screaming inside. As Rochester led her away, she quickly looked back at her sister and Verdi. They both kept her eyes away from her but Delphine could see the pain in Ani's face.

The guard and the prisoner wound down tunnels to a dark area with a low table covered in old pickaxes. Rochester swept the rusty axes aside and lifted Delphine onto the table. They kissed, Delphine's fingers brushing Rochester's ear. He trailed kisses across her face and down her neck. Before he could get too low, Delphine subtly grasped his face and moved him upwards again. The guard made a sound of protest and a bolt of fear struck her. If he wasn't pleased…

She stood and teasingly stripped herself of her ratty shirt. Now she stood before the guard half naked. Although her ribs showed and her hipbones were too prominent to be healthy, she still had her curvaceous physique. The guard licked his lips and ran his hands down her sides. She arched her back, offering him her breasts.

After a while of kissing and fondling, she leaned against Rochester, her arms draped around his shoulders. He stood awkwardly, then crouched and handed her shirt back to her.

"Tell me about yourself, Rochester," Delphine purred, sitting naked with her shirt in her hands. She dropped the shirt beside her and raked through her hair, grimacing as she felt more hair fall out. She leaned back with her hands behind her, her shirt forgotten on the table.

"I was born in Endovier, the town," he said curtly. "My family worked for the royal family, but my uncle was a merchant and regularly travelled. I always wished to go with him, but my family needed me and the hands I could offer."

Delphine raised an eyebrow. "Worked?"

"They were killed." He motioned to her shirt. "We'd best be going soon." She tugged it on and dropped down from the table. They stood eye-to-eye.

"I'm sorry," Delphine said genuinely. She stepped forward and took Rochester's face in her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Delphine," he said nervously, shiftily. "I have something to tell you." Delphine's ear perked up. "I'm sure you want to leave, and I can… I can help you."

"But Rochester," she interrupted patiently, "I only know of three ways out: Death, proven innocence, or transfer to another camp. None of these are viable options."

Rochester began to squirm. "Well, what if the authorities thought we were going to another camp?"

"And we didn't?" Delphine became excited. "They would think we were in another camp, perhaps dead, but no - we'd be free!" Her imagination began to run wild. They would finally leave Endovier. They would depart the salt mines, pretending to be depressed at the false prospect of a new camp. In reality, though, they'd be on their way to freedom. Best of all, no one would hunt them. No one would know except Rochester, and he had as much to lose as they did if he gave anything away.

"We?" Rochester asked quizzically.

"My sister and I." Delphine was positively giddy with happiness. "Oh, thank you!" She kissed Rochester again, peppering him with kisses. His cheeks flamed red again. "When? When can we do this?"

Rochester pulled away, looking serious. "You two aren't the only ones who want their freedom back. The problem here is we have a list of sorts. The next group going to Dorgan is in two days, but this is a real group. The fake group leaves three days after that."

"Dorgan?" Delphine paled. Dorgan was notorious for being a true death camp. There was no concealment of what happened there. Those in Dorgan were the criminally insane. Most politicians who knew about Dorgan agreed that the people in there deserved death above any other punishment.

"If you were taken there, no one would be surprised if you were dead after a few days," Rochester explained. "There would be little suspicion, considering what it is." Delphine nodded doubtfully. "Who should I put on the list besides you?"

"Ani and Verdi." Delphine wasn't sure why she said Verdi, but she had an inkling that Ani was growing attached. In places like these, people need all the friends they can get.

"Okay," Rochester said. He took Delphine's chains and together they left the tunnels.


	4. Chapter 4

_FIVE DAYS LATER…_

Ani and Delphine huddled together. It was a windy, cloudy day and their rags of clothes offered no protection from the elements. Verdi ran up to them. After three weeks in Endovier, he was finally starting to adopt the sickly look that everyone had.

"Dorgan," he said fearfully. The prisoners closest to him cast frightened glances and then shuffled away.

"No," Delphine moaned. Ani sniffled and buried her face in Delphine's hair. The three stood by a tunnel entrance, trying to block themselves from the wind. Three days earlier, a group of screaming, thrashing prisoners had set off for the new camp. Ani had made sure to watch them leave to make sure her reaction was accurate. Of course, the very idea of leaving was as nerve-wracking as going to a death camp, but in different ways.

After a few minutes, a gaunt young man and his female companion, a woman going prematurely grey, joined them.

"Dorgan?" the man asked, looking fearful, but not as scared as a true transfer would have been. Verdi nodded quickly and then turned away. The group of five stood for a moment before the man spoke again. "I heard Roche – the man taking us is a member of the rebellion. He works for the rebels."

"Really," Ani answered, trying not to show too much interest. The man nodded eagerly.

"We want to join," he whispered with a jerk of his head towards his companion. The woman smiled shyly, revealing sweet dimples that made her look years younger. "I'm Justice, and this is Charlotte."

"How do you do," the woman murmured. Her eyes darted to the crowd. "He's coming!" Her voice sounded excited, almost childish. Delphine followed her gaze and quickly spotted Rochester's shaved blonde head. He looked nervous and walked with his head down.

Finally he reached them. "There should be eight!" His face was frantic with worry.

"Cliff died last night," Justice said quietly. "Whipped to death." Charlotte shuddered and hugged herself. Justice gently took her hand and squeezed it.

Rochester bounced on his feet. "I'm sorry… But where are the other two? Do you know a Tomas and a Kaye?" They all shook their heads. The camp was so large, it was not surprising, but the news seemed to agitate Rochester.

"What's wrong?" Delphine finally asked, sidling closer to the guard.

"I've heard rumors… They know there's a fake group going to Dorgan, but they weren't sure if it was the last group or not." Rochester suddenly turned angry. "You better put on the best performances of your lives! If you aren't convincing, we could all lose our heads!" Delphine jumped at his outburst and retreated to her sister's side. Rochester's face was a purple-red and a vein throbbed on his forehead.

"Don't worry," Verdi said confidently. "We can all put on a mighty good show." Rochester turned to Verdi, first looking angry, and then let out a nervous laugh.

Rochester surveyed the crowd. "Good, good… Let's go." They walked into the crowd towards an old, rickety caravan pulled by two snorting horses. He swiftly opened the back doors. "Now! Scream like you're dying!"

"No!" Charlotte wailed. Tears were already streaming down her face. She rattled her chains and screamed. "Please!" Ani and Delphine joined in, screeching and pulling away from the caravan.

Verdi shook his hands, prying at the manacles with his nails. "I'm innocent! Not Dorgan!" His deep voice seemed to echo. Justice's hands were in his hair, pulling out strands as he screamed.

The group kept up the racket as one by one, Rochester shoved them into the caravan. Ani tried to get away; she leapt out and pulled against her chains as she pretended to escape. Rochester roared and dragged her back as she scream again and again.

Finally, they were all in the back. Rochester slammed the doors shut and walked to the front.

Then they heard a foreign voice.

"Rochester? Where is this caravan going?" The voice sounded higher-class, authoritative and confident.

Rochester, on the other hand, sounded nervous. " Lord Andreas! What a surprise, my Lord. We are going to Dorgan. There are five prisoners…" stopped himself from babbling. He cleared his throat and there was a clink as his armor shifted. Delphine felt a jolt of fear. Lord Andreas was the owner of the Endovier salt mine and the local lord of the town. While he was not a particularly influential member of the royal courts, he held enough sway in the mines. The Lord was well known for being ruthless to just about anyone.

"My good man Rochester… We've had news. Bad news." The Lord spoke gravely. "Inmates going to Dorgan under false pretenses…. We can't have that, can we?" Silence. Perhaps Rochester was shaking his head, or shaking in fear. "Now, Rochester, tell your Lord the truth. Is this caravan truly going to Dorgan?"

A pause, and then, "Yes, my gracious Lord."

Another pause. "Seize him! This man lies!" Rochester yelped and feet pounded around the caravan. Ani and Delphine clutched each other. Was someone going to be killed?

"These prisoners will be punished enough when they get to Dorgan," the Lord chuckled as Rochester screamed. "Execute him! Here! Now! Let us set an example for those who wish to help the Rebellion!" The Lord sounded scornful. Verdi sneaked forward and peered through a crack in the wall. Two large soldiers held Rochester. They were heading for the guillotine stationed in the center of camp.

"No, please!" Rochester cried. "I can tell you whatever you want to know about the Rebellion! No!" Lord Andreas laughed.

"I don't want my information from a sniveling traitor," the Lord said pretentiously. Rochester was forced to his knees in front of the guillotine. "I want to force the words out of a true Rebel." A soldier kicked Rochester in the back, making him bend over. His head was aligned and a basket was fetched to catch his head after he was decapitated.

Rochester wailed and screamed and cried. In the end, none of this helped him. There was a telltale thump, a collective gasp, and they knew it was over. The five in the caravan grouped together. The doors suddenly opened and an elderly yet still handsome man smiled at them.

"Hello, my little criminals," he said in a friendly manner. "You are going to Dorgan to die. You cannot escape. Be glad you aren't dying now. Enjoy your last few days of life!" A tanned soldier stepped in and checked their manacles and chains.

"They're locked up, my Lord," the soldier called. Lord Andreas smiled and stepped back to let the soldier out. He gave them one last look and banged the doors shut.

Within minutes, the caravan started to move. As two days before, they were headed for Dorgan.


	5. Chapter 5

**_I've not so sure about the title of this story, so please send any suggestions! Reviews are greatly appreciated :) Thanks for reading!_**

After a few hours in the caravan, Ani finally realized that Justice and Charlotte were whispering and casting suspicious glances towards her, Delphine and Verdi. There was a clear divide between them; Justice and Charlotte huddled together in the farthest corner from them.

Ani stood and wobbling in the moving caravan. The wooden floor groaned as she stepped towards them. "You think we did this." Her voice was low and hoarse. "You think we condemned us all to Dorgan."

Justice and Charlotte shared a glance. Slowly, Justice rose to his feet and met Ani's eyes. "Yes," he answered. Ani turned to Delphine and Verdi.

"We didn't," Delphine said definitely. "There's no way in hell we would have wanted to die in Dorgan. If we had a death wish, we would have tried escaping Endovier."

"What's going on back there!" the guard yelled. The caravan ground to a halt. All five prisoners shared a glance and moved away from the door. Delphine instinctually moved in front of Ani.

Thumping came from outside as the guard walked around, his armor clinking loudly. The horses snorted.

The doors were unlocked and thrown open. It was the tanned soldier. His gaze was fierce as he stepped inside, one hand on the hilt of his sword. Beyond him was a forest, alight with the glow of the sun.

"What's going on?" he growled.

"Nothing," Charlotte said quickly.

The guard fixed her with a cold glare. "I heard voices. Plotting an escape, are you?" He smirked and turned to the others. "If I have to stop this caravan, remember the name Sylvan when you go to your graves. I don't care who you are – you're going to Dorgan anyway. You can die here or there, but you won't survive for long either way." He paused to let his words sink in, and then stepped out. Before he could lock the door, he hesitated and turned.

An arrow thudded into his throat with frightening accuracy. He let out a croak and grabbed at his throat. The guard slumped to the ground, blood gushing down his armor.

"The rebels!" Justice exclaimed excitedly. He turned to Charlotte and clasped their hands together. Ani and Delphine shared a skeptical glance. Surely it was someone else who wanted the prisoners dead.

A dirty man with a bow – a bow that gleamed with care and was made of fine yew - approached the guard's body. He nudged it with his foot and rolled the body over so the dead man's face stared up at the sky. "Got 'im." The man turned and addressed someone who was not yet visible. "Come on!"

"Good work, Arkadi," came a disembodied voice. Footsteps approached. A lithe man with an icy expression appeared. A layer of stubble darkened his face but he was handsome nevertheless. His hair was long and curled around his jaw. Ani could tell right away that he was the leader.

The man turned to the prisoners and gave them a quick smile. "Izak Cassius, rescuer of criminals and leader of rebellions, at your service." He bowed mockingly and extended a hand. "Why don't you get out of there?"

"Izak!" Charlotte gasped. "You're a legend – a myth – I can't believe you're real!" She rushed forward to take his hand. Jumping out of the caravan, she collapsed onto her knees and gaze up at him reverently. Justice joined her on the ground, clutching at Izak's clothing.

Izak smiled matronly down at them. Apparently he was used to this sort of adoration.

"Please," he said. "We are equals. Stand on your own two feet." Charlotte and Justice scrambled to their feet and waited for Izak to speak. Instead he turned to Ani, Delphine and Verdi, still in the caravan and watching the interaction.

They silently came out of the caravan and stood away from the rebel. Ani in particular looked dubious. Izak turned to examine the trio; two sisters and a night man. Izak had a glint of desire in his eyes as he peered at Ani. Her chin was lifted up defiantly.

"I am Izak," he began. "Leader of the Rebellion. Perhaps you've heard of me – but hopefully not. Secrecy is important around here." Justice and Charlotte smiled adoringly. Izak ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "So you've come from Endovier. Headed to Dorgan, were you?"

"Yes," Delphine answered. Ani looked at her sister, surprised that quiet Delphine was talking the lead. "What do you want with us." He voice was flat and threatening.

Izak smiled slyly. "I've freed you from your fate of death. At least pretend you're happy I saved you." His green eyes slid to Ani again. "Sisters?"

Before Ani could answer, there was shout.

"There's another one!"

Ani spun around. A guard – the driver! They'd forgotten about him! – ran full=pelt at Ani, Delphine and Verdi. Verdi let out a shout and lunged forward, fingers outstretched, trying to stop the man. But the guard with his thick metal armor, shoved past him and grabbed Delphine. He unsheathed his sword and held it up, one arm around Delphine's throat.

"Let me go!" he cried hoarsely.

Izak and his fellow rebel, Arkadi, stood casually. Arkadi's fingers slowly crept along his bow. Delphine's eyes were wide with panic.

"Relax," Izak said smoothly. "We won't kill you if you let her go." The guard's sword wavered in the air. "Just let the girl go. We promise – no more death here, no more."

Ani wanted nothing more than to run forward and grab her elder sister, but she knew if she did, the guard would slit Delphine's throat. She could sense Verdi, a step behind her, his hulking presence somewhat comforting. Arkadi gripped his bow tighter. There was a feeling of tension in the air; something big was imminent.


	6. Chapter 6

Ani held herself stiffly, in case even a twitch of her fingers spooked the guard. Izak's hands were up in the air, his eyes wide and innocent.

"Just relax," the rebel murmured. The guard's eyes swiftly moved from Izak to the other rebels, including Arkadi and his bow. The bow's wood appeared to almost glow.

The guard unwound a short length of chain from his wrist, perhaps six inches long. Izak immediately stood taller and growled.

"You really don't want to do that."

The guard, looking much more confident, smirked in reply. The chain looked chalky white and smooth – salt. Endovier salt. He lifted it up, saying, "I'm protected from your dirty black magic."

Ani, confused, turned to the rebels. Immediately, she noticed what she hadn't seen before: matching tattoos on their shoulders. They all had the face of a four-eyed cat printed into their skin. Even more so, they all wore black. Their sleeveless shirts, albeit tattered, were the blackest black and absorbed light. She felt even more confused because seconds earlier, she had been sure they were wearing the brown rags of common people.

Izak became casual again. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the guard. "If you have _that_ " – he gestured to the chain – "then why do you need a hostage?" The guard laughed.

"I know how much power you have, _rebel_ ," he spat. "Don't try to fool me." Delphine let out a whine as his fist closed on her throat. "Swear to me, _swear_ it, that you won't kill me." Izak's face twisted.

He frowned. Perhaps swearing something was too much for him. After all, he didn't even know the girl. But after seeing the other woman, the sister, he knew what he had to do.

"I swear it," Izak said clearly. "Now let her go." Arkadi sucked in a breath. The sound was achingly loud in the silence.

The guard smirked again. "No." He slapped the chain onto Delphine's wrist and it wound itself, of its own accord, around the joint. She screamed as it sizzled and tightened. Ani shrieked and ran forward without knowing what she was doing. The guard sheathed his sword and took off, Delphine in tow. Ani lunged after them, batting aside plants as they blocked her way.

Light footsteps followed her, but Ani didn't care. Tears blocked her vision and finally, panting and sobbing, she stopped in the forest. A rough hand gripped her arm. It was Izak, his eyebrows scrunched together.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. He was at least a head taller than her and looked down, trying to find her eyes. But she spun her head away, refusing to make eye contact. "He had the salt chain – there was nothing I could do."

At this, Ani whirled around. "Nothing you could do? How about being a proper rebel and finding him in the first place? I'm surprised the rebels have an imbecile for a leader and managed to persevere for so long." Ani was shocked at her harsh words but couldn't bring herself to regret them. All she had was Delphine, and Delphine wasn't here.

She needed her sister, more than anything.

* * *

Izak and Ani rejoined the others. When Verdi saw Ani, he ran forward and embraced her. One hand cupped the back of her head as their cheeks pressed together. "I'm so sorry, Ani," Verdi whispered, his lips touching her ear.

Izak cleared his throat pointedly. Justice and Charlotte flanked him as though they were already rebels. Arkadi was missing but soon reappeared with another man, both of them holding the reins of horses.

"Thank you, Hazel," Izak murmured to the brown-haired man who handed him the reins to a stately looking black stallion. He lovingly caressed the horse's arched neck.

Ani was given a docile bay mare. She affectionately patted the mare's neck and easily mounted. As a child, she and Delphine had rode horses of their own and raced along roads for fun.

Once everyone had mounted, Izak began to lead the way. Ani, looking around, thought it was odd that there were enough horses for everyone; Hazel was even leading a second horse, and if Delphine had been here, that would have been the horse she would ride. But how did they know to bring five extra horses?

"Izak," Ani hissed, urging her mare forward. The rebel didn't even bother turning around as Ani approached. "How did you know?"

The forest was quiet but murmured with the sounds of animals and falling leaves. Soon it would be cold, harsh winter, but for now the autumn sun glowed and rendered the forest a beautiful artwork. Izak seemed to fit right in. He was a man who had grown up with nature. He guided his horse along invisible pathways with ease, an ease that made Ani jealous because she, too, had grown up on horseback.

"Perhaps it did not occur to you that we rebels were in touch with people at Endovier?" Izak now turned and fixed Ani with an icy stare. She felt stupid under his assessing gaze but refused to back down.

Her thoughts turned to Rochester. The poor bumbling man – killed! "That guard… he was killed. Executed, really." Izak sighed and turned away.

"Pity, yes," he replied in a voice that was not pitying at all. "But we have other men, _better_ men."

Ani felt a bolt of ice shake her core. She slowed her horse, her face white, and waited for Verdi. At least she had him. Otherwise she'd be alone, and she didn't think she could handle that.

Their horses walked together, seemingly at ease in the forest. Ani could feel Verdi's eyes on her but she refused to meet his stare. No, she was too busy thinking about Delphine. Where had she gone? Why had the man taken her and not just killed her? Speaking of the man, who was he? A guard from Endovier, probably, but how had they not seen him before? All these questions swirled together until they became dizzingly confusing.

Ani sighed and curled her fingers into the horse's mane. The feeling of something in her hands brought her back to the present. She looked up again and shivered. The forest had its own presence, like another being all around them. Goosebumps rose at the thought. She'd be more than happy when they got to the rebel camp.

"We'll be there in ten minutes!" Izak called over his shoulder. Justice and Charlotte perked up – they'd gotten bored on the walk. Ani looked over at Verdi. His eyes were filled with concern and for that, Ani was relieved. At least he cared about Delphine.


	7. Chapter 7

**_This chapter is a mix of my writing before and after my writing block. If the characters and/or anything else has changed, that's probably why. Sorry about that, but hopefully I'll be back to updating 'normally' soon! This story is strictly my own characters for now, so for the moment, don't expect any ToG characters. Thanks for reading!_**

Even though Ani wanted nothing more than to go back and search for Delphine, she knew she had to sleep. Exhaustion clouded her vision, and the only reason she wasn't unconscious was the adrenaline coursing through her. Delphine needed her, but she wouldn't be any help if she was tripping over her own feet.

Ani guided her mare closer to Verdi, the only familiar thing here. Izak's stallion, a few meters in front of them, pranced and pulled against the reins.

"We're nearly there!" he called back. Justice and Charlotte, riding next to each other on matching grey horses, shared a look of excitement. Verdi frowned at them – why were they so happy, knowing they were missing a member of their original group? But of course, they thought Ani and Delphine had tried to get them all killed. In fact, the two rebel wannabes were probably glad to be rid of one of the supposed traitors.

Verdi looked around the forest. He was aware of Ani on his left and the tall, shadowy trees on his right. Despite the bright sunshine, the trees cast deep shadows. He was not a man of the outdoors but he could knew if he stepped into the shade and beyond the cheery luminosity of the path they were taking, he'd be sucked in for a long time.

He shivered and then turned back to the path. Ahead of them was a huge boulder; a grey mass that was maybe 8 feet tall. Both sides of it were blocked by dense undergrowth of prickly bushes. What now?

Izak nudged his horse forward and walked to the left of the boulder before disappearing. The other followed suit, vanished from sight. Verdi paused and looked at Ani. Her eyelids were half-closed and she hardly seemed to realize where they were.

"Ani," he whispered. She blinked a few times and then nodded. "Go to the side of the rock. Just walk to the left." She nodded again and did as he said. Now it was only Verdi and Arkadi left.

"Go on," Arkadi said gruffly.

"This better not be a trick," Verdi muttered before walking forward as Ani had. His horse, seemingly knowing the way, leaned close to the rock and snorted as they walked straight into the undergrowth - but at the last minute, his horse turned and they were heading down a tunnel. Torches lit up the darkness and Verdi could hear the sound of voices and crackling bonfires.

Now he could see the source of all the noise. There were groups of men and women, all dressed in sleeveless black shirts that revealed the same tattoos – the four-eyed cat. It was not a room they were in, but a huge cavern. Its expanse was almost unimaginable – how had all this been concealed? Bonfires lit up every corner in a red-golden glow, unveiling dark tunnels that lead off elsewhere.

Looking ahead, Verdi spotted Izak, Ani and the other. They had dismounted and were handing their mounts to other rebels. Verdi urged his horse forward and jumped off, landing lightly next to Ani. A young woman, much younger than Ani or Verdi, took the reins of his horse and nodded at them. Her face, though youthful and unlined, had a icy, serious expression. It was the same expression that Izak and every other rebel wore.

Verdi felt suddenly uncomfortable – not only were they exposed in the center of this cavern, surrounded by strangers, but he was the only night-man in there. The fires were abruptly too bright, too invasive.

Izak was busy talking to Justice and Charlotte, both of whom looked like lovesick children. Someone stepped forward and led the two off, leaving Izak to turn to Ani and Verdi.

"So," he said, the fire lighting up his eyes and darkening the stubble around his jaw. He looked younger and older all at once. "Your sister." Ani stiffened.

"We've got to rescue her," she said in a commanding tone.

Izak cocked his head. "Yes, of course – but not in the state you two are in." Verdi knew how tired he was. He had not slept nor eaten since leaving Endovier, and he couldn't even remember how long ago that had been. Verdi gave a small nod of acknowledgement, agreeing with the rebel leader. Ani, however, was not so willing.

"I don't care how tired I am," she snarled stubbornly. "My sister – my _life_ – has been kidnapped – stolen." Her voice was frantic. Verdi reached and gripped her arm, trying to ground her to the present. His touch shocked her, and she whirled around with her arms flailing. "Don't you -!" She slowed and hung her head. "No, no, I'm sorry. Izak, you're right."

He smirked, looking pleased. "I often am. I am leader for a reason." He spun on his heel and gestured to them. "Your, ahem, accommodations." He mockingly dipped his head.

Verdi gently took Ani's arm again and led her forward. She looked as exhausted as he felt. They followed Izak into one of the dark tunnels. After a few footsteps of darkness, a torch came alight.

"Why so much… fire?" Verdi wondered aloud. "Bonfires, torches – everywhere."

Izak, flaming torch in one hand, turned to smile. "I hate to sound clichéd, but fire is powerful, not to mention useful for lighting." Ani snorted loudly. "We rebels don't mind bringing the heat."

They walked in silence for another minute. The tunnel had no tributaries. It was essentially a carved-out block of rock. Before Verdi started to truly get uncomfortable, Izak stopped.

On their right was an archway. Izak stepped through, followed by Ani and Verdi. Izak lit the two torches in the room, throwing light everywhere.

"I assumed you two wanted to share a room," Izak said, raising an eyebrow suggestively. Ani nearly laughed when Verdi smiled sheepishly.

In the center of the room was an enormous canopy bed, complete with silken sheets and embroidered crimson fabric from the posts. There was a fireplace and a wardrobe, as well as a bathroom connected to the bedroom.

Ani immediately bounded forward onto the bed. She slipped beneath the covers. "Goodbye, now!" Her eyes, the only thing visible above the duvet, were narrowed at Izak. He laughed and raised his free hand in a sign of surrender.

"I'll see you both tomorrow." Izak winked at Verdi. "I hope you enjoy." With that, he disappeared.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Please leave reviews! I am open to critique. If anyone has a request regarding the story/characters, let me know.**_

Ani happily snuggled beneath the covers. Verdi was examining the room, although his feet were shuffling from tiredness.

"Oh, come on, Verdi, there aren't any traps," Ani groaned. "The sooner we sleep, the sooner we'll wake up and the sooner we can rescue Delphine!" She kicked off her shoes and shoved them off the bed. They hit the stone floor loudly and seemingly shook Verdi out of his dream-like state.

"We can't rescue anyone if we're dead," he chided, but he walked over to the bed anyway. He took off his torn shirt, his skin dark and supple in the firelight. Although Ani was too tired to initiate anything, she didn't mind the view.

Verdi clambered into bed ungracefully and closed his eyes as he laid his head back on the fluffy pillows. "Try not to worry too much, Ani. We will find Delphine – alive." Ani closed her eyes too.

"We will."

* * *

"I'll be damned." Izak's voice echoed in the room. "I thought you two were on a mission of sorts?"

Ani blinked and lifted her head. Izak stood in the archway, one hip cocked and his arms crossed. He was torchless, because somehow, the room was filled with natural light. Looking around. Ani notice circular glass tunnels in the ceiling that stretched for a couple meters to the outside world.

Ani and Verdi were tangled together in the canopy bed, their faces inches apart. Verdi slowly woke up, his hands cradling Ani's waist.

"It's nearly sun-high," Izak said, shaking his head with disappointment. "I know yesterday was probably one of the worst days of your lives – besides being rescued by me, of course – but I didn't expect you to be this tired! Don't we have a sister to save?"

Ani cursed and sat up. "Alright, Izak, we get it. Do you mind?"

He raised his eyebrows and turned away. "Clothes are in the wardrobe. And just saying, you missed lunch!" He strode down the tunnel, his footsteps overly loud.

Ani climbed out of bed and walked to the wardrobe. She opened the doors and sucked in a breath. So. Many. Clothes. Dresses and tunic and sweaters and everything anyone would ever want. And shoes – boots upon boots upon boots in every color and material imaginable. She wanted to clap in delight. It had been years since she had gotten to pick out her own outfit.

Ani, bouncing with glee, pulled out a thin blue shirt with long sleeves, simple black trousers and sturdy boots. She stepped out of her old clothes, stiff with sweat, and relished the feeling of fresh fabric on her skin. The blue of her shirt matched her somber eyes.

"Verdi, come! Look at all this!" The night-man stood and joined Ani in front of the wardrobe. He was too cranky to be impressed.

"Alright," he grumbled, grabbing a shirt and pants. He changed quickly before grabbing socks and boots. "Too bad we missed lunch." He held one hand over his stomach regretfully as it gurgled.

"Let's _go_ ," Ani growled lightly as she took Verdi's hand and pulled. They walked down the tunnel hand-in-hand and made their way into the main cavern. Izak was there with a few other rebels, huddled around a table.

"Here they are!" Izak called. "This is my second-in-command, Rhiannon." He pointed to a tall, skinny woman with red hair and freckled cheekbones. She wore knives all over her – a knife belt was slung around her hips, loaded with wicked-looking knives. She smiled at them, surprisingly friendly.

"Hello," Ani said, sneaking a look at the rest of the group. She was astonished to find that there was an equal mix of men and women.

"We're coming up with a plan to get your sister back, on top of other things." Izak stepped back. "I'll let Rhiannon explain, as she's the one who's in charge of this mission."

Rhiannon flicked her long hair over her shoulder. "I've just sent out trackers to help find your sister – Delphine, is it?" Her voice was low and smooth. Her dark auburn eyes were cold like Izak's. "Once they find a trace, any trace, we'll go check it out and find any other leads. It's not the best plan, but we don't have any other choice at the moment."

Izak nodded. "We're working on freeing other Endovier prisoners, and that requires a lot of rebels, considering how many prisoners there are. Delphine is by no means any less important, but she is one person as opposed to several thousand and therefore we cannot spend any more resources."

"Alright," Verdi said before Ani could cut in. He glared at Ani when she opened her mouth and finally she sullenly closed it. "We appreciate what you are doing."

"The plan doesn't sound as awful as I thought," Ani admitted. "I thought you would send us out alone. Rhiannon looks capable enough." Izak laughed, as did Rhiannon herself.

Izak, still chuckling, said, "Rhi is the most capable person of anything here. She's unfortunately one of those people is excels at everything." Rhi smiled, pulling her hair to one shoulder. "Alright, I'll leave you to it." He backed away from the table followed by several other rebels.

"You're not helping us?" Verdi asked, almost accusingly.

Izak shook his head. "Like I said, there is much to do. Rhi is all you need for now." He dipped his head and walked away, leaving Verdi and Ani with Rhiannon.


	9. Chapter 9

"Do we just wait here until a tracker gets back, Rhiannon?" Ani asked. She felt nervous in the presence of the warrior woman.

"Call me Rhi, please. I know you two didn't get any breakfast so you're welcome to go to the kitchens and scrounge what you may." The red-hair woman smiled again, her freckles especially dark on the apples of her cheeks.

Verdi dipped his head thankfully and took Ani's arm. "Were are the kitchens?"

Rhi pointed across the cavern. "Straight down there. Stop and turn left when you smell food and smoke." Ani and Verdi quickly turned and walked in the direction of the kitchen, eager for a meal since they hadn't eaten in hours.

"Thank you," Ani called over her shoulder.

They sprinted down the tunnel, noses sniffing impatiently for the scent of something, anything.

"Wait!" Verdi said just as Ani's stomach grumbled more loudly than ever. "I smell food!" They turned left and hurried into a huge kitchen.

Meanwhile…

Amandine walked slowly through the woods. Rhiannon and Izak had told her to keep an eye out for a woman and an Endovier guard. According to them, the woman was important – the guard, not so much. She was also told to watch out for a salt chain.

Her boots were silent in the forest. She had grown up with the rebels and was one of the best trackers of the lot. She was young but she was skilled at what she did.

There – her eyes caught something. A broken branch that was too high up to be caused by an animal. Amandine reached for her dagger. She crouched down to examine the branch. It was recent enough for the person who caused it to be near. She sucked in a breath.

Amandine stood and followed the path of scuffled leaves. Two pairs of tracks, just as she expected. One belonged to a barefoot woman – small and slim tracks with clearly defined toes. She sidled past some bushes, careful not to disturb anything in case she had to come back and re-examine the scene.

Blood… she smelled blood. Fresh, from the scent of it. Amandine walked faster, still silent but less careful of what she touched. Right up ahead was the source. God, there was so much. Maybe an animal?

She saw a glint of armor. No person would be able to bring down an armored, trained man and cause that much blood. She peeked through the trees and gagged.

A man's headless body lay propped up against a tree. Amandine looked again to check. Yes, it had the armor of Endovier guards; the Andreas crest was emblazoned on the chest. She paused to listen in case anyone was nearby, but it was silent as death. She sighed to herself and then approached the body, the ground around which was stained with blood.

What was left of the guard's throat was bruised and marred by the imprint of chains. Leaning closer, Amandine made out the flecks of white salt. Immediately she backed away, looking around. Salt chains? She had to get back. Her hand rested on the hilt of her dagger as she looked at the body one more time. An Endovier guard, chocked by a salt chain and then beheaded, left to rot in the middle of a forest. If this wasn't proof of something big, she didn't know was.

Amandine turned and fled back to camp, running into one of her fellow trackers on the way.

"Don't bother," she panted as the tracker turned in the direction she had come from. "I've found something. I'll be back with Rhiannon to investigate." The two gave each other a solemn nod and Amandine continued on her way.

* * *

"Rhiannon!" Amandine called as she entered the main cavern. "Rhiannon!" The red-hair woman was sitting at a table with two others. They were laughing and enjoyed a meal.

"Amandine." Rhiannon stood, her chair scraping loudly on the stone floor. "I take it you've found something."

"Yes," Amandine said, bending over to catch her breath. "A body – headless, from Endovier." At this, Ani and Verdi shared a glance. They, too, stood and waited for the tracker to speak.

"A thirty minutes walk from here," she continued. "The body was completely decapitated… in fact, I don't recall finding a head. The guard had been choked to death by a salt chain."

Ani slammed her fist down on the table. "That's the guard! Delphine must have killed him and escaped! She's out there in the forest. We have to go find her at once." Rhiannon and Amandine shared a glance, and then Rhi dipped her head to dismiss the tracker.

"Come back in five minutes, please," Rhi murmured. She turned to Ani and Verdi and sat down again. "It does sound like the guard who took your sister. However… I doubt she was strong enough to fight him and escape, let alone choke him to death, decapitate him and escape. My apologies, but it simply does not sound likely."

Ani bared her teeth angrily. Verdi raised an arm and pushed her back into her seat. "That statement may be true," Verdi admitted as he sat down. Ani hissed, making Verdi glare at her. "But Delphine was a survivor of Endovier. She is capable of more than one may expect."

"You don't know what we had to do to survive," Ani burst out. "We've all been whipped to the brink of death, starved until we could barely lift our pickaxes. If Delphine could get through that, she could muster enough strength to kill her captor."

While Ani and Verdi talked, Rhiannon leaned back in her chair, blinking slowly. She nodded once to herself and then sat up.

"Ani," she said, "I take it that you've never recalled Delphine having any abnormal abilities? Nothing strange happened when she was especially angry or sad?"

Ani jumped up, her face dark. "Are you accusing my sister of magic? Just say it!" Her voice rose until it echoed in the cavern. Verdi grabbed Ani's arm but she flung him off, her eyes filled with rage. "She is human! And even if she wasn't, don't the salt chains ward off magic?"

"Didn't the guard say black magic?" Verdi turned to Rhiannon for confirmation.

"What's the difference?" Ani spat. Rhiannon laughed.

"Magic is natural. It's a part of you. Black magic, on the other hand, is not. It is artificial, manufactured, and for completely selfish purposes. In case you were wondering, no one here has any black magic."

"Then why didn't Izak rescue my sister when he had the chance? He said he couldn't do anything because she was wearing the chain!"

"Being accused of black magic is one of the things that protects us." Rhiannon was about to continue but Amandine approached them again.

"Ready to go?" asked the tracker. Ani, seeing that they were leaving now, dropped the topic and stood. Verdi did the same and flanked Ani as they walked around the table. Rhiannon joined them, one hand on her hip.

"We all follow Amandine's orders, alright?" She raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you two are trackers so try not to be too loud. In the case of anything dangerous, let me and Amandine take care of it. And if you see Delphine, no shouting – nothing too loud. Got it?" Ani and Verdi nodded, and then they were on their way.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hi everyone, sorry about the hiatus. Everything I had written after this chapter was deleted and on top of that, I've been suffering from a severe case of writer's block. I think my hiatus will probably continue, but hopefully I can get this fanfic back up and running in a month or so! Thanks for reading!**_

"Oh, god," Ani whispered when she saw the guard's body. Flies flocked to the exposed stump of his neck and gathered, feeding. She reached for Verdi's hand and gripped it tightly.

Amandine nodded grimly and sat on her haunches next to the body. "Flecks of salt along the bruises," she said as she gestured to the obvious chain-link-shaped bruises. Even Rhiannon shuddered.

"It's not right," the rebel muttered. "He may have been an Endovier asshole, but we should bury him. It would attract unwanted attention anyway." Amandine nodded and stood, wiping her hands on her shirts even though she hadn't touched anything.

"Wait," Verdi said, pointing to the guard. "There's something in his hand." Rhiannon stepped forward. Sure enough, the guard's cold hands were clutching a folded piece of paper. Shivering, she bent to prize his fingers apart and quickly plucked up the paper.

"It's from Lord Andreas…" she trailed off as her eyes scanned the paper. She looked up at Amandine. "He writes, 'I know all about Izak and his dirty rebel cause. So, as penance, Endovier will burn to the ground. To Hell with all of you." Her knuckles turned white.

"How would he know a rebel would find this?" Amandine whispered. She snatched the paper out of Rhiannon's hands and read it. "And why would he give it to a guard?"

Silence. The forest had gone completely, utterly silent. Even the flies were gone.

"What's happening?" Verdi whispered, letting Ani hold his hand even more tightly. The silence was suddenly loud with the sound of apprehension. Every sound they made seemed magnified.

And then they saw it. The guard's head. It had been stashed away, tucked beneath the roots of the adjacent tree to which his body rested. It faced them with blood-red eyes and a gaping mouth.

The eyes blinked.

"What -!" Ani cried out as she backed away from the head. Amandine and Rhiannon slowly drew their daggers and watched the head.

With a nod, Rhiannon remarked, "That's black magic."

"Rhiannon, I think they should go," Amandine hissed, jerking her head at Ani and Verdi. Rhiannon ignored her, instead walking calmly up the head.

"I wonder what –" Rhiannon began to muse, but then the head cleared its throat.

Ani gasped, recoiling at the sight of air being sucked into the severed throat. That wasn't natural – who would put black magic on a dead person? That seemed wrong beyond belief. And black magic on a brutally killed one…

"Ugh," moaned the head, rolling its eyes around wildly. It had a surprisingly steady voice, especially considering it was nothing more than a head and a few inches of throat. "Why did I have to be _decapitated_?" The head suddenly seemed to notice them.

Ani gasped as it fixed its eyes on her. "You!" it cried, nose twitching as blood began to flow out of it. "Was it you who killed me?"

Rhiannon laughed. "We're lucky this magic is bad. You, my friend," she said, addressing the head, "are very funny." She flipped her dagger in her hand. "But black magic is black magic!" She stepped forward, curling her fingers into the head's hair. The hair came out in chunks along with bits of flesh. Rhiannon dropped the head in disgust, shaking the hair off her hand.

"Rude," muttered the head. "You want to kill me – again! – when I have for much information for you."

This time it was Amandine who laughed. "You can't possibly remember who did this to you," she said, still grinning. "You were reincarnated after you died, remember?"

The head glared at her and licked its decaying lips with an air of surliness. "You have no idea what I could tell you, little rebel."

Rhiannon and Amandine shared a surprised glance. "Usually," Rhiannon explained, turning to Ani and Verdi, who were still starstruck in the background, "when black magic is used to reincarnate people, they can't remember anything before their reincarnation. So really," she said, looking at the head curiously, "I'm surprised that this head even remembers we're rebels."

"I'm not as dumb as you think," the head grouched.

"What can you tell us?" Ani asked, nervous at addressing the head.

It blinked slowly. "Well," it began, "I can tell you who killed me, where they went, and who reincarnated me. And that's just the beginning! I could also tell you about my past, before I became a head; I was once a _man_ , you see, with a body and everything! I worked –"

"Alright, we get it," Rhiannon said irritably. "Now tell us who killed you!"

The head rolled its eyes again. "Fine," it muttered. "A young woman, younger than all of you, who was very skinny with brown hair. I don't remember her eyes but – say, she looked just like you!" The head twitched its nose in Ani's direction.

"Delphine!" she whispered to Verdi. He touched her shoulder gently, allowing her to slump against him. So it was true. Her sister had murdered this man.

"She choked me with a gritty chain. Come to think of it, the chain wasn't metal at all. It was white like sugar… no, like salt." The head paused. "Oh yes! After I was killed – my head was still attached at this point – the woman ran off the way we came with the chain." It jerked its chin to the left, through the bushes where Amandine had originally found the trail.


End file.
